Modern American Drama - 1945-2000 - A Survey of Post-war and Contemporary Theatre

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Asher

Modern American Drama, 1945-2000 presents a comprehensive survey of post-war and contemporary American theatre, following the key structure of an earlier edition while expanding coverage of major dramatists and newer voices. The book examines influential figures shaping American drama, including Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, David Mamet, and Sam Shepard, and also analyzes recent works such as Miller’s The Ride down Mount Morgan, Albee’s Three Tall Women, and plays by Paula Vogel, Tony Kushner, and Terrence McNally. A new chapter, “Beyond Broadway,” explores how theatre has formed and influenced American millennial culture.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages467

Reading Time11 h 59 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Preface to First Edition

Preface to Second Edition

The absent voice: American drama and the critic

Eugene O’Neill’s Endgame

Tennessee Williams: the theatricalising self

Arthur Miller: the moral imperative

Edward Albee: journey to apocalypse

A Broadway interlude

Sam Shepard: imagining America

David Mamet: all true stories

The performing self

Redeﬁning the centre: politics, race, gender

Beyond Broadway

Notes

Index

Modern American Drama, 􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀄‒􀀆􀀇􀀇􀀇 In this new edition of the widely acclaimed Modern American Drama Christopher Bigsby completes his survey of post-war and contemporary theatre and brings the reader up to 􀀁􀀂􀀂􀀂 . While retaining the key elements of the ﬁrst edition, including surveys of those major ﬁgures who have shaped post-war American drama, such as Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, David Mamet and Sam Shepard, Bigsby also explores the most recent works and performances: these include plays by established dramatists such as Miller’s The Ride down Mount Morgan and Albee’s Three Tall Women, as well as works by relatively newer playwrights Paula Vogel, Tony Kushner and Terrence McNally among others. Bigsby also provides a new chapter, ‘Beyond Broadway’, and oﬀers an analysis of how theatre has formed and inﬂuenced the millennial culture of America. 􀀆􀀇􀀈􀀉􀀊 􀀋􀀌􀀍􀀇􀀎􀀈 􀀐􀀉􀀑􀀊􀀐􀀒 is Professor of American Studies atthe University of East Anglia and has published more than twenty-ﬁve books covering American theatre, popular culture and British drama, including A Critical Introduction to Twentieth-Century American Drama and Contemporary American Playwrights. He is co-editor, with Don Wilmeth, of The Cambridge History of American Theatre. He is also an awardwinning novelist and regular radio and television broadcaster. MODERN AMERICAN DRAMA, 􀀓􀀔􀀕􀀖–􀀁􀀂􀀂􀀂 MODERN AMERICAN DRAMA, 􀀓􀀔􀀕􀀖–􀀁􀀂􀀂􀀂 C . W. E . BIGSBY 􀀁􀀂􀀃􀀄􀀅􀀆􀀇􀀈􀀉 􀀃􀀋 􀀌􀀇􀀈 􀀁􀀍􀀈􀀆􀀆 􀀆􀀋􀀎􀀉􀀅􀀏􀀐􀀌􀀈 􀀑􀀒 􀀌􀀇􀀈 􀀂􀀎􀀅􀀓􀀈􀀍􀀆􀀅􀀌􀀋 􀀑􀀒 􀀏􀀐􀀔􀀃􀀍􀀅􀀉􀀕􀀈 The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom 􀀏􀀐􀀔􀀃􀀍􀀅􀀉􀀕􀀈 􀀂􀀎􀀅􀀓􀀈􀀍􀀆􀀅􀀌􀀋 􀀁􀀍􀀈􀀆􀀆 The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia Ruiz de Alarcón 13, 28014 Madrid, Spain Dock House, The Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa [http://www.cambridge.org](http://www.cambridge.org)[ ](http://www.cambridge.org)© Cambridge University Press 2004 First published in printed format 2000 ISBN 0-521-79089-1 hardback ISBN 0-521-79410-2 paperback Contents Preface to First Edition Preface to Second Edition 􀀓 The absent voice: American drama and the critic 􀀁 Eugene O’Neill’s Endgame 􀀠 Tennessee Williams: the theatricalising self 􀀕 Arthur Miller: the moral imperative 􀀖 Edward Albee: journey to apocalypse 􀀡 A Broadway interlude 􀀣 Sam Shepard: imagining America 􀀢 David Mamet: all true stories 􀀔 The performing self 􀀓􀀂 Redeﬁning the centre: politics, race, gender 􀀓􀀓 Beyond Broadway Notes Index page ix x 􀀓 􀀓􀀕 􀀠􀀓 􀀡􀀔 􀀓􀀁􀀕 􀀓􀀖􀀕 􀀓􀀡􀀕 􀀓􀀔􀀔 􀀁􀀠􀀣 􀀁􀀡􀀓 􀀠􀀡􀀠 􀀕􀀁􀀖 􀀕􀀕􀀓

FAQs

What time period does Modern American Drama, 1945-2000 cover?

It covers post-war and contemporary American theatre across the period from 1945 to 2000, with attention to both established traditions and recent developments.

Which playwrights and works are highlighted in the survey?

The book discusses major figures such as Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, David Mamet, and Sam Shepard, and it also considers newer playwrights and their plays, including Miller’s The Ride down Mount Morgan and Albee’s Three Tall Women.

What is the purpose of the chapter “Beyond Broadway”?

“Beyond Broadway” provides analysis of how theatre has formed and influenced American millennial culture, extending the survey beyond mainstream commercial stages.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Asher